Panthers overpower Bruins with 6-2 win , take 2-1 series lead

Vladimir Tarasenko and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the same Bruins doubleminor, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 14 shots and the Florida Panthers beat Boston 6-2 on Friday night and grabbed a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Evan Rodrigues scored twice, and Brandon Montour also connected for the Panthers, who have won back-to-back games after dropping the opener at home. A 6-1 winner Wednesday night, Florida scored 10 straight goals before Jakub Lauko made it 4-1 early in the third and

Jake DeBrusk followed with 11:31 left to make it a twogoal game.

But Boston, which played the final 20 minutes without captain and No. 2 scorer

Brad Marchand, could get no closer before Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter with 1:24 left. Rodrigues scored again — Florida’s fourth power-play goal of the game — in the final minute.

Now the Bruins need a win at home on Sunday night to avoid a 3-1 deficit heading back to Florida for Game 5.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots for Boston, which was outshot 13-3 in the first period and 33-16 overall. Things got worse when Marchand, who seemed to struggle after a first-period hit by Sam Bennett, did not return for the third period.

After splitting the first two games on their home ice, the Panthers made it 1-0 after eight minutes when Rodrigues knocked a puck out of the air and past Swayman. It stayed that way until Mason Lohrei drew a double-minor for high-sticking late in the second.

With 23 seconds left in the first half of the penalty, Tarasenko beat Swayman with a wrist shot from the left circle. Verhaeghe scored a minute later to make it 3-0.